AVONDALE, Ariz. — Jesse Love turned within the final season bookends, successful the opening race of the 2025 schedule at Daytona then closing it out with the largest win of his younger profession to assert the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence Championship on Saturday night time at Phoenix Raceway.
The 20-year-old Californian needed to greatest his greatest pal, the season’s 10-race winner Connor Zilisch, to assert the career-changing victory and title. Love finally handed the JR Motorsports driver Zilisch for the lead with 24 laps to go on the desert one-miler after which needed to maintain off veteran Aric Almirola after the Joe Gibbs Racing driver additionally received round Zilisch with eight laps remaining.
The feelings had been unmistakable as Love climbed out of his No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, the smoke nonetheless rising behind on monitor from the celebratory donuts he carried out in victory. He instantly gave his father Duke an enormous, lingering embrace — the sentiment between the 2 palpable and unmistakable. Love completed the season with two wins, 9 high fives, 22 top-10s and 4 poles.
“I simply really feel so clear, and relieved,” mentioned Love, whose margin of victory was .861-second. “It has been a tricky 12 months for me, and I’ve put a lot work into it and folks like my dad and (driver coach) Scott Pace and my entire No. 2 crew labored simply as laborious for my dream as I’ve for my very own.
“It actually hasn’t set in but. All these feelings, it would not really feel actual, would not really feel actual in any respect,” Love mentioned, including of the shut contest with Zilisch, “He is my greatest pal in the entire world however not once we’re racing one another. We race one another laborious however truthful. … He ran a very nice race tonight, however my automobile was simply higher tonight.”
Almirola was nearly as emotional in celebrating the Homeowners Championship for Joe Gibbs Racing. The previous full-time NASCAR Cup Sequence driver has stayed within the sport racing part-time for the Joe Gibbs Racing crew, formally incomes a place within the homeowners’ championship with a victory at Las Vegas within the Playoffs.
Almirola’s 17 races within the JGR No. 19 Toyota was most among the many six drivers who mixed to drive it this season. Almirola earned all three wins for the automobile and scored 11 top-10 finishes.
“It’s a crew effort and I am simply so grateful for Coach (Gibbs) and the Gibbs household,” mentioned Almirola, a three-time winner in a 12-year full-time profession within the NASCAR Cup Sequence that led to 2023.
“That is actually, actually nice. I’ve by no means received a championship. That is my first championship and it is not about me, however I used to be part of it and so happy with our group and everybody who helps us.”
“I’m so grateful to be part of that and ship that to Joe Gibbs Racing.”
Zilisch’s third-place end and the dominating season he turned on this season within the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was sufficient to earn Rookie of the 12 months honors, however that was of little comfort within the quick moments after the checkered flag.
“Nothing to hold our heads about,” mentioned Zilisch, who turned probably the most profitable rookie in collection historical past with a document 18 consecutive top-five finishes, 20 top-10 and 19 top-five finishes as a part of his 10-trophy effort. “We gave it our all right this moment and it would not take away from something we did this 12 months. We had a hell of a 12 months. That is simply going to sting slightly bit.
“I left my coronary heart out on the monitor,” he mentioned.
As for his greatest pal Love, Zilisch was form even within the heartbreak, “I am very blissful for him, he works laborious at it, however I got here right here to win and it nonetheless would not make it any higher.”
The opposite two of the 4 championship-eligible drivers, Zilisch’s JR Motorsports teammates Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil, completed fifth and thirteenth, respectively. The defending collection champion, Allgaier received a stage and led a race-best 83 of the 200 laps — considered one of six leaders on the night. However he was by no means capable of reclaim the lead after shedding it throughout a pit cease with 50 laps remaining.
“He did all the proper issues,” Allgaier mentioned. “They rose to the event and we did not.”
Pole-winner Brandon Jones, who drives the No. 20 JGR Toyota, completed fourth, adopted by Allgaier. Taylor Grey, who received the race’s first stage, completed seventh in one other JGR Toyota, adopted by Haas Manufacturing unit Staff driver Sheldon Creed, Love’s RCR teammate Austin Hill and JGR’s Justin Bonsignore.
NASCAR Xfinity Sequence Race — NASCAR Xfinity Sequence Championship
Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona
Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025
1. (6) Jesse Love (P), Chevrolet, 200.
2. (7) Aric Almirola (P), Toyota, 200.
3. (4) Connor Zilisch # (P), Chevrolet, 200.
4. (1) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200.
5. (5) Justin Allgaier (P), Chevrolet, 200.
6. (18) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 200.
7. (2) Taylor Grey #, Toyota, 200.
8. (3) Sheldon Creed, Ford, 200.
9. (16) Austin Hill (P), Chevrolet, 200.
10. (13) Justin Bonsignore, Toyota, 200.
11. (12) Harrison Burton, Ford, 200.
12. (17) Kyle Sieg, Ford, 200.
13. (14) Carson Kvapil # (P), Chevrolet, 200.
14. (15) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 200.
15. (8) Nick Sanchez #, Chevrolet, 200.
16. (21) Christian Eckes #, Chevrolet, 200.
17. (9) Dean Thompson #, Toyota, 200.
18. (24) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 200.
19. (20) Brenden Queen, Chevrolet, 200.
20. (28) Nick Leitz, Ford, 200.
21. (30) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 200.
22. (22) Connor Mosack(i), Chevrolet, 200.
23. (27) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 200.
24. (25) Leland Honeyman, Chevrolet, 199.
25. (23) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 199.
26. (37) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 199.
27. (19) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 199.
28. (33) Daniel Dye #, Chevrolet, 199.
29. (34) Stefan Parsons(i), Chevrolet, 198.
30. (36) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 198.
31. (32) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 198.
32. (26) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 196.
33. (29) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 196.
34. (35) Glen Reen, Ford, 196.
35. (31) Patrick Emerling(i), Chevrolet, 192.
36. (38) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, 191.
37. (10) Ryan Sieg, Ford, Accident, 150.
38. (11) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, Accident, 36.
Common Pace of Race Winner: 98.509 mph.
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 1 Minutes, 49 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.861 Seconds.
Warning Flags: 4 for 31 laps.
Lead Modifications: 15 amongst 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: B. Jones 1-10;T. Grey # 11-49;C. Zilisch # (P) 50;T. Grey # 51-55;C. Zilisch # (P) 56-62;J. Allgaier (P) 63-95;C. Zilisch # (P) 96;J. Love (P) 97-102;J. Allgaier (P) 103-117;J. Love (P) 118;J. Allgaier (P) 119-153;C. Zilisch # (P) 154;L. Honeyman 155;J. Love (P) 156-158;C. Zilisch # (P) 159-175;J. Love (P) 176-200.
Leaders Abstract (Driver, Instances Lead, Laps Led): Justin Allgaier (P) 3 instances for 83 laps; Taylor Grey # 2 instances for 44 laps; Jesse Love (P) 4 instances for 35 laps; Connor Zilisch # (P) 5 instances for 27 laps; Brandon Jones 1 time for 10 laps; Leland Honeyman 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 High Ten: 54,00,7,88,48,1,39,19,8,20
Stage #2 High Ten: 7,88,19,00,2,54,48,20,1,41
–Holly Cain, Particular to Discipline Degree Media
